Did everybody see the special on cable awhile back when they got some sort of award? They even brought Graham's ashes out with them on stage (and of course, knocked them over and had to vacuum him up).

I think it was Terry Jones who had this quote: "We were going for something that would be completely indescribable. Given that 'python-esque' is now in the OED, I think we pretty much failed miserably."

According to Michael Palin, John Cleese got up at Graham Chapman's funeral and said, "Graham Chapman, writer of the parrot sketch, is no more. He has ceased to be. He has gone to meet his maker..."

I think the Python appeal is generational -- the Pythons were big right around the formative years of many a kid growing up in the home computer boom (70s - 80s). Just happenstance, I think. (And will "South Park" be the Python of the current batch of kids?) The Marx Bros. are *funny*, but "old"... the Pythons were contemporary for a lot of up-and-coming/.ers.

There are two kinds of people in the world those who like Python and those that don't. It is totally a matter of opinion weather or not you find them funny. Personally I think they are the funniest comedy troupe ever. On to your second sentence. I really don't see why you think an article on slashdot needs to be tech related, I know this has been stressed before but here it comes again. Slashdot News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters. I fart in your general direction, your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.;)

Monty Python was pretty funny, esp the Holy Grail, but I always felt that they were overrated. I thought American shows like SNL and In Living Color were a lot funnier, but maybe that's just a taste issue.

This article once again shows how Monty Python was directly influenced by The Goon Show. You should definitely seek out and purchase [goon.org] these fine radio programs. Prepare for 30 minutes of absolute and complete confusion to warp your fragile little mind. Peter Sellers went on record before his death and said his 9 years with the Goon Show were the best years of his life. Hey, who am I to argue?

Be forewarned -- the first one you listen to will be so confusing that you might be tempted to stop listening. DON'T. Once you understand the basic characters [goon.org] (Major Dennis Bloodnok, Bluebottle, Neddie Seagoon, Eccles, and Hercules Grytpype-Thynne) and what the heck they're doing, you'll split your sides laughing.

What's your favorite episode? Mine must be Six Charlies In Search Of An Author. Pirandello, eat your heart out!

I like South Park, but it's not going to be anything like Python. It really looks like it's headed in the same direction as Beavis and Butthead - all the kids love it becuase it's the most vulgar show on TV, all the parents hate it for the same reason. Eventually, all the kids start realizing, "Hey....this isn't very funny anymore. Now it just kinda sucks." and then they change the channel.

But The Simpsons just keeps on going. By the way, Metallica will be the next Led Zeppelin, mark my words.

Ok, I'm lame for posting a reply on my own post. After seeing a mix of "big deal" and "Python rules" posts, though, I thought I would chime in again.

I think you're right about Python being generational. I'm not quite 30 and I caught the Python reruns on PBS starting in my early teens. It was very fresh to me.

I also eventually saw the Python films. At the time, only "geeks" (bad thing to be at my school) were into that stuff. I kept quiet about it, except when I was around my friends who were part of the Drama club. There, it was an inside joke to us.

I think the appeal is their creativity and their willingness to take a simple premise and push it to the farthest extremes. Sometimes, the original premise might not be hysterical, but they would push it until it was (remember the "organ collectors" in "The Meaning of Life"?)

Python didn't make me roll on the floor often, but I DID smile a lot. It was witty, creative, and fun to watch. Certainly, part of my affection is nostalgia now. The fact that I can openly drop a Python reference around people today and have them "get it" is also cool.

He's from Microsoft and he's OK He sleeps all night and he sleeps all day

I code VB, I eat my lunch, I go to the lavat'ry On Wednesdays I do nothing But collect pay from Bill G.

He codes VB, he eats his lunch, he goes to the lavat-ry On Wednesdays he does nothing But collect pay from Bill G. He's from Microsoft and he's OK He sleeps all night and he sleeps all day.

I code VB, whilst taking a dump Ten lines done in two hours I wish I had GNU/Linux I just crashed my Windows taskbar

He codes VB, whilst taking a dump Ten lines done in two hours He wishes he had GNU/Linux He just crashed his Windows taskbar.. ?? He's from Microsoft and he's OK He sleeps all night and he sleeps all day.

I code VB, and MFC NT is such a crock I wish I'd learned BSD Just like my dear papa!

He codes VB, and MFC NT is such a crock.. ?!?

He's from Microsoft and he's OK He sleeps all night and he sleeps all day!

Instead of posting more great quotes from easily the funniest television show of all time, I'd like to point out that Monty Python's Flying Circus is in syndication on A&E Saturday evenings. Check your local listings for exact times, but it's great since they play the episodes in order, and fill up an entire hour with classic sketches.

It's unbelievable that it's been over 30 years and they've yet to be topped in insanity. I mean, there's not a single television show or film that is more lunatic and psychotic than these brilliantly creative skits (and of course, animation). Say...no...more!

The funniest skit I ever saw, ever, was MP's 1812 Overture, played by the exploding orchestra. I've never laughed so hard since. We had a screening of the episode in one of our Lit classes in college - relating to surrealism in arts/media - the whole class was, quite literally, on the floor, helpless with laughter.

While we're talking about Monty Python's Flying Circus and A&E, I see A&E will be releasing all the TV shows on DVD starting in September. So far they've announced four 2-disc sets, with each disc containing roughly four hours worth of stuff (difficult to say how much of it's original shows though, since they're adding all the usual DVD goodies).

Oh, and for that matter, the pseudo-movie "And Now For Something Completely Different" is due out on DVD on Monday.

Some humor works based on premise, and you can describe the general idea to someone, and they'll snicker or not, depending on how well you told it. Python has great comic ideas, sure, but it has that quotability thing going on. People tend to remember the exact words used in a particular sketch/movie. That doesn't happen very often in comedy. Lessee: Far Side (Bummer of a birthmark, Hal...), Raising Arizona (Son, you got a panty on yore hed.) There are more, I know, but I'm lazy today.

In the Live at the Hollywood Bowl movie, the Pythons were rightly stunned at hearing their jokes recited along with the routine, like singing along at a rock concert. Even better, after the line was recited, everybody would crack up as though hearing it for the first time.

Weird and interesting stuff. Wish I could bottle it for use in my writing...

I don't think it is generational. I discovered Monty Python when I was about 13, and a cable channel (Bravo) began airing Flying Circus episodes all the time shortly afterwards. Having seen Python, and the Simpsons and various other things, Python is undoubtedly the best, the greatest. Sure, the Simpsons is brilliant, but the Python crew knew how to make a sketch work like no one else. Saturday Night Live can only hope to be as good as Python. (When have you seen something like the Jockey sketch - with successful jockeys being interviewed, you only see their heads; the champion doesn't even show up on the screen =).. or the Parrot Sketch (everyone knows the parrot sketch)

Beavis and Butthead were different from South Park in the sense that all their show had was stupid music videos interjected into boring and alltogether stupid plots.

South Park (particularly the movie), on the other hand, has a little bit of reality in it. It exposes and makes fun of all the inconsistancies in our society (i.e. it's ok to let your kids see tons of senseless violence and killing, but the minute someone says a 'naughty' word (isn't the whole idea of swearing a dumb concept anyway?) or takes their shirt off, then that media has warped their fragile little minds;)

John Cleese came to speak at Cornell earlier this year. He's actually a professor at large here, believe it or not. First we watched 'A Fish called Wanda'. Then he took questions, where he demanded that everyone address him as 'Professor Cleese' before answering any questions... absolutely hilarious. He's actually a very interesting, thoughtful and (when he wants to be) serious speaker.

Perhaps it's because I'm among the second most lame group of people in the world, but sometimes I enjoy saying 'nee' to anyone and everyone I see...occasionally I'll ride my holygrailesque horse to class.

is it because I'm hopelessly lame or because Monty Python is the funniest group of people on earth and I'm a bit impressionable yet?

First, I cringe with every misquote. My friends and I can't go 10 minutes without some obscure Python-ism (Ditto for Star Wars tho). So I darn all thee misquoters to heck (unless it's actually applied in satirical context)

But enough of that. What I wanted to say what that it's great to see something like Python so alive and well today. It is THE classic. Heck, a few months ago, a local radio station did a Monty Pyton special. Great it was too, a lot of skits in vocal form, spliced to all hell.

It was great to hear them, and I must say, that the entire 'Cat License' skit, including the song 'Eric the Half a Bee' was just as great on the radio as on the tube. I'd go into a tirade of quotations, but that's not really necessary right now =) Everyone else already have.

Bet you expected me to though. Nobody expects the silence of a deranged Python fan! And I must say that that was nearly obscure enough to still render my comment quote-free.;-)

My favorite part about Monty Python, other than their tendency to skewer anybody and anything, is that they didn't "dumb down" a lot of the material, or assuming their audience were a bunch of idiots. There are a lot of references to history, art, and philosophy that you just don't see in comedy from anyone else...

"I want a Last Supper with no trampoline acts, no mariachi bands, no jugglers, only 12 disciples, and one Christ." "ONE?!?!" "Yes. What in God's name possessed you to make this painting with THREE Christs in it?" "It WORKS, mate. The fat one balances out the two skinny ones..."

Actaully, Cleese did that at Graham's memorial, not at the funeral. It's most of the rant from the Parrot sketch (which they co-wrote) plus some other rather "interesting" bits. The full text of it is in Kim Johnson's book, The First 280 years of Monty Python (excellent book - with tons of info about all the Pythons, before, during & after the series and all of the various film projects - well worth the US$22.00)

I'd have to disagree with that. Beavis and Butthead are funny for a while, but the show really has no point. Southpark, on the other hand, has a ton of satire thrown into nearly every show (and especially the movie). Satire of religion, censorship, the MPAA, presidents, police, etc.

The Simpsons are pretty good too, but I've been finding the new (last two seasons or so) episodes to be distinctly less funny than the old ones. Perhaps it's just me, but very few of the new espisodes seem to have any sort of a point to them.

I meant "generational" only in that I think a lot of the appeal is with the generation that's currently in their... lessee... late 20s to late 30s, maybe? Anyhow, I would say it's a safe bet that my grandparents would not "get" Python, but instead prefer comedy from their era. And I'm not trying to case aspersions on the Pythons' collective talent -- they are a very funny group of writers/performers, with roots in some of the best Brit. comedy of the time. Their appeal isn't purely age-based, but I've found (non-scientifically) that the biggest Python audience has always been folks +- my own age.

I don't know if it's still in use, but my father, who is a manager for JCPenney (dept store similar to Sears), said that they had a training video that featured the Parrot sketch. It was how *not* to treat customers and how to handle problems with merchandise, etc. It's amazing where this stuff shows up.

First, I cringe with every misquote. My friends and I can't go 10 minutes without some obscure Python-ism (Ditto for Star Wars tho). So I darn all thee misquoters to heck (unless it's actually applied in satirical context)

I have to agree about he misquotes. In fact I want to complain abou-

YOU want to complain!? I've only 'ad these shoes three weeks and the 'eels 'ave worn through!

"First, I cringe with every misquote. My friends and I can't go 10 minutes without some obscure Python-ism (Ditto for Star Wars tho). So I darn all thee misquoters to heck (unless it's actually applied in satirical context)"It's like spelling - the spirit is more important then that technical specifics. Even Monty Python don't do the same skit with the same words every time. Compare a skit from the flying circus show, to its retelling on the stage, to its retelling on the stage, to its retelling on their various albums. There are lines changed, names changed, whole jokes dropped and new ones added in. As long as it's funny it isn't worth getting stressed about the words. Now - the inflection, that's other story entirely....:)AdamT

When I was in university, for an advanced level history course on the Roman Empire, our final paper was to write an essay discussing and analyzing a 'modern' piece of media which involved the Roman Empire. Guess which one I picked...

I am SO glad that so many people positively responded to the mention of Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Yes, the troupe was heavily influenced by the The Goon Show and Ernie Kovacs (plus a number of shows I don't remember offhand), but what did result is (IMHO) the most effective display of comedy on television I've EVER seen. I really think that that the Python troupe had to be extremely intelligent in order to parody everything British, just like the fact the more you think about it, the more you know that the original contributors to MAD magazine had to be quite intelligent to effectively parody everything American from the middle 1950's on.

The Python genius showed right from the start with one of the earliest "sketches," the famous "Killer Joke." The version we saw on TV was unbelievably funny and SO much more intelligently-developed than any American comedy of its day--let alone today! The first time I saw it in 1975, I nearly fell off my chair laughing out very loud! (^_^)